Commissioners will act at their June 9 meeting on CTIA and Wireless Infrastructure Association proposals for more changes to wireless infrastructure rules designed to accelerate siting of towers and other 5G facilities, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said Monday. The move was expected, as is a fight from local and state governments (see 2005110029). Pai will also ask commissioners to approve auction procedures for Phase I of the FCC's 10-year, $20.4 billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and proposed an NPRM on the use of very high-band spectrum. ATSC 3.0 also is on the agenda (see 2005180066).
EU rules on liability of online intermediaries shouldn't change under upcoming draft legislation, some stakeholders said. The Digital Services Act (DSA) is intended to update the 2000 EU e-commerce directive, which set minimum liability standards for internet intermediaries and established "safe harbor" exemptions. Although work on the proposal is in an early stage, digital rights activists and some European Parliament members urge retaining the safe harbor provisions. The European Commission told us it intends to unveil a proposal for consultation in coming weeks, and a draft measure "later this year."
Broadcasters are divided whether the FCC should change how it determines whether a station is significantly viewed in a market. Hubbard agrees with NCTA and Nielsen that the agency shouldn’t disrupt the status quo. Gray Television and others want more flexibility.
The FCC was close but not spot-on in its preliminary cost category schedule for C-band relocation expenses, said numerous interested parties in docket 18-122 filings posted Friday, suggesting additions and changes. There was some opposition to reimbursements for gold-plated upgrades and support for not finalizing the cost category schedule until after the FCC has filed, reviewed and approved satellite operator transition plans.
Scrambling to fill programming hours amid canceled community events and having to train public officials on the use of videoconferencing platforms are among challenges public, educational and government channels face during the pandemic, operators and officials told us. The smallest operations had the toughest time, and there are funding concerns the longer the pandemic goes on, said Alliance for Community Media President Mike Wassenaar.
Despite the Covid-19 surge in the use of residential landline phones, stakeholders don't expect a reversal in the long-term trend toward mobile-only households. Residential landline voice traffic rose dramatically this spring as Americans sheltered in place, with volume reaching traditional Mother's Day levels in March.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is circulating an NPRM to “take the next statutorily required step to implement” the 2012 spectrum law's mandate for public safety to move off the 470-512 MHz T band by 2021. Pai on Friday also repeated his call for Congress to repeal the rule. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., again urged Congress to undo the T-band mandate. The House was expected Friday night to have voted on the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (Heroes) Act (HR-6800), which includes language from the Don’t Break Up the T-Band Act (HR-451) to undo the statute (see 2005130059).
Unlike Western Europe, the U.S. isn't facing physical attacks on wireless infrastructure by activists who believe 5G helped spread COVID-19. Some municipalities are facing more RF concerns. “We are not aware of any such situations to date within the United States,” an FCC spokesperson emailed last week. “We have provided some social media and online content to reassure the public that this rumor is without merit.”
The Senate passed the USA Freedom Reauthorization Act 80-16 Thursday. The House will now reconsider the bill (see 2005130056) with an amendment from Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
COVID-19 is affecting the launch of ATSC 3.0 stations and creating uncertainty about when they will begin airing the new standard, said broadcasters and NextGenTV advocates Thursday on an NAB Show Express streamed panel. “We’re still on track to get a bunch of markets launched this year,” said John Hane, CEO of Spectrum Consortium (Spectrum Co).